Friday 24th April The English Apple Man together with circa 250 fellow mourners attended the Funeral of a Dear Friend.
Richard Frank Barnes was a wonderful friend to so many. Most of all a 'family man' with his wife Patricia, children Alistair, Catherine, Susannah and Mathew. His personality made such an impression on so many people and they were there to share their memories of him.
To say he was loved by all, is not an understatement!
Richard Frank Barnes was born in Sandhurst, Kent on the 11th of March 1944.
His parents were Stuart, a lifelong Arsenal fan and frugal tenant farmer, and Constance Barnes, a nurse, as was her daughter Richard's elder sister Janet. Home was Maplesden at Hole Park Estate in Benenden, Kent on a mixed farm, with a focus on flax (for silk) during the war, and hops after.
I am indebted to Richard's eldest son Alistair and his younger brother Matthew for allowing me to use part of their Eulogy to Richard.
Richard's daughters Catherine and Susannah expressed their love and memories for their father in a joint tribute of their own.
LOVE was at the centre of their memories. Their father's love for them, their love for him, his love for life and the many friends he made through out his life, his love for family gatherings, family holidays in France. Love was central to his life, anyone who met him loved him.
Eulogy extracts
"His formal education started at the nearby Coursehorn school, which had been set up as a war evacuation camp in an orchard, and later became Dulwich Preparatory School. He made some lifelong friends here, and was well prepared, on the sporting side, at least, for Cranbrook School. Here he made more dear friends, as he represented the school in Rugby and Cricket
After sampling various career opportunities, Richard set his sights on joining the Met Police. In 62 he enrolled as a Cadet at Hendon - mum wrote that he was a top cadet but decided the narrow vision of the Police was not for him, he came to the conclusion, as he told me once, that most people were there for a salary and a pension!
Having escaped the police, Richard found himself outside the compound and smack bang in the middle of London in the swinging 60's.
His first flat was shared with flatmates who would become 'cherished lifelong friends'. In a quick study, he realized there's money to be made in sales... Starting off selling fire extinguishers to shop keepers. Next was the most fashionable Liberty shop selling lamp shades. It was obviously great experience as it led to him being recruited by Robophone, an American Tech Start up that was bringing a revolutionary new product to the UK - called the answering machine.
There is a little irony here as he lived his life without ever owning a (functioning) mobile phone or email address - a state many of us might like to recreate now.
By all accounts Dad was a successful salesman, 'watch this space', and when the company was bought out he was offered a generous redundancy settlement which allowed him and his old mate Terry Martin to buy a van and set off on an adventure across Europe to see a little of the world, which included being film extras in Spain, and wending their way to Beirut.
Further travels and emigration to Canada - At one stage Dad got in touch with friends David and Susan Bates - David made the mistake of promising Dad a beer, and three days later he collected on that libation, having hitch hiked down to San Diego from British Columbia.
On one ride, the owner of the car took a kip in the back whilst Dad drove on, 'again different times! Dad liked the west coast.
Meanwhile, back in blighty Dad's parents had worked and saved all their lives - and in the 1950's Stuart and Connie and moved across the border into Sussex, and was contract farming Driftways Farm for a recently returned expatriate couple; the woman soon decided the Sussex climate was worse than she remembered and so they looked for a return to warmer climes. A quick sale ensued and Stuart and Constance stepped in with their savings and in 1961 a deal was struck.
During Dad's time across the pond, Stuart became unwell and the call, or rather a telegram (this time) came to return to the farm and help manage the apple harvest; Dad decided that 'it was time that life should have a purpose, I'd better go back and pick some apples.
"Dad was a family man, a proud father, he was kind and gentle to those around him. He didn't talk about politics and culture - at least not with me - and he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the latest rugby international and test cricket scores!
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The English Apple Man
At this point I wish to recount my memories of Richard. We had both been educated at Coursehorn (Dulwich College) at Cranbrook, although Richard was two years younger and at that young age, two years is a chasm! But I remember Richard as an outstanding cricketer appeared in the same school picture of the cricket team, while I was in my last year.
Fast forward to 1975 when I took a phone call; "hello John, Richard Barnes here - got any Gooseberries? Sorry no, but I have strawberries - ok well we had better have a couple of trays!"
Next day I took a couple of trays of our strawberries up to Lodge Farm, knocked on the door of the house and Mrs Barnes looked a little puzzled by my arrival; before explaining my conversation with Richard the previous day!
Well that was the start of a truly wonderful adventure of business and lasting friendship
LODGE FARM
In 1972 Richard opened a small farm shop at Lodge Farm in Hurst Green on the busy A21. He told me the first day (a Sunday) he sat there all day and took "just 18p" - now many would have given the venture up as a failure, but his foresight, determination and that 'entrepreneurial spirit ensured he continued. I suppled him with ever increasing trays of Strawberries over the next few years; many local farmers and growers supplied carrots, new potatoes, courgettes, runner beans and countess other fresh produce.
Lodge Farm became a 'nirvana' for fresh produce and at the weekends, many people drove down the A21 from London to spand a day at the seaside in Hasting, stopping off at Lodge Farm either on the way down or as they returned after a day at the seaside.
Richard's entrepreneurial spirit did not end there! Some years later, the owner of the property decided to ask for a considerable increase in rent, well fate intervened and further along the A21 an elderly gentleman told Richard that he was going to sell his small nursery business, by the end of the same day, a deal was agreed and Richard bought what was to become Orchard Farm (now Planters). This became another very successful farm shop venture and ironically Lodge Farm closed down not long after.
After a few years when Orchard Farm became equally successful, Richard and Patricia decided retirement was the next option and retreated to 'Huntley Wood' their beautiful bungalow at Driftways Farm. Some years later, I received another phone call from Richard; "hi John, guess what I have just bought? What have you bought? I have bought the old farm shop site at Lodge Farm and Susannah and her husband are going to run it!
WE are going to call it 'Eggs to Apples' and it will be a smart 'new build'
Susannah became the third generation of the Barnes family to run a farm shop in the village.
The Barnes family have been in Hurst Green since the 1960's and their involvement in the local farming and village community has been fundamental to developing the concept of the business. Indeed, Eggs to Apples has been built on the site of the original Lodge Farm Shop started by Susannah's father and grandfather in 1972.
Friendship and Fun
Over the last 50 + years we have been great friends, as individuals and as families. When he children were young we used to go to Eastbourne every year for the Pantomimes returning to our house for fun and refreshments. As families we joined the Hawkhurst Squash Club where Richard became Chairman and me Vice Chairman. At that time Squash was extremely popular and as a committee we built a third court, expanding the much needed court availability!
Cricket
In the late 1980's Richard, his brother in law Eddie McDonnel, and his great cricketing friend Ray Harding launched a band of nomadic cricketers named "The International Wednesdays" - playing circa 8 games during the summer months against cricket clubs in Kent & Sussex. 'Nomadic because we did not have a pitch of our own' - the game was 20 overs each. Then retreat to the Pub (always a pub nearby) where we played silly games and celebrated the occasion. It was 20/20 (but before 20/20 became a national game.
The collective name for the leadership group was The Junta existing of; Richard, Ray and Eddie, with "big Max" Maxwell Connolly chief social organiser and Tour Manager + initiator of out splendid IWCC blazers! and Cyril (the Colonel) Levett. I was the official photographer and have 11 albums of IWCC adventures to show for it!
International Wednesdays on Tour
We also went on an "Overseas Tour" on a few occasions! Well in truth; into a different county!!
Below: The IWCC on route to Suffolk
Below: IWCC before playing The Ipswich Greyhound Regiment (fictitious)
Below: Richard 'starred' in this match, scoring 58 not out and hitting the winning run
Richard leaving the pitch after a glorious innings with: left Cyril (the Colonel) Levett
Below: left. Richard, Patricia and Ray Harding and right. Cyril Levett - The 'Colonel'
Below: Richard and Ray - Eddie and The EAM - Eddie preparing for a celebratory session
Below: Max Connolly the legend who launched The IWCC Blazers and was the closest of friends of Patricia & Richard
Big Max was a legend and most importantly a very close friend of Richard and Patricia. In his Eulogy Alistair recounted the coming together of his mother and father!!!
A Kentish man, Richard had settled happily just the other side of the Kent Ditch in East Sussex.
"Richard met mothership at a great party he was hosting in the 'old lodge farm house, next to the original shop. She arrived with (dear departed) Maxwell Connolly and Dad never looked back, showing his "sense of purpose" and turning on the Kentish charm, our mother was swept of her feet!!!
That is all for this week, sorry publication is late!
Take care
The English Apple Man